New Here - Buying Advice Needed

[tsheehan7]

Hi all. I'm new to this whole thing. I'm looking for a "basic" 4 seater just to drive the family around the neighborhood. By "basic" I just mean that I don't need speakers, neon lights, lift kit, and huge wheels/tires. But I do want a capable and reliable vehicle, and I would like a long top. I've read up on lithium batteries and I'm intrigued by those as well.

Longest distance I'll drive is about 1.5 miles to the pool (3 miles roundtrip), but my neighborhood is extraordinarily hilly. My city does allow carts on surface streets in some areas near me, so I could get there one day, but not immediately.

A friend of a friend is a refurbished cart dealer with a fairly large inventory. He seems to deal mostly in EzGo. He has suggested:

- a 2017 RXV (with upgraded wheels and tires, new body, LED lights) and original batteries with less than 400 hours for $5,300 with long top.
- a 2013 RXV with new lithium batteries with new body, new wheels, and tires, LED light package and long top) for $5,500. Going with traditional batteries knocks something like $900 off that price.

When I asked if there was anything more basic (cheaper!), he offered a 2012 TXT with no frills for $2,800 (not sure about batteries), but it's a DC motor which he doesn't recommend for my hilly neighborhood.

He provides a one year warranty on all of his carts.

His prices seem in line with private sales from craigslist or facebook here locally, although I do notice that used Yamaha's tend to go for about $1,000 less around here, so I can find similar looking carts with newer batteries for close to $4-$4.5k. I just don't know if Yamaha is inferior to EzGo.

Really just looking for advice all the way around.

[recon701]

If you don't need all the frills, why don't you see if he could build you an RXV without all of the extra options and just the rear seat and long top. He'd probably be able to come in closer to $4k. That might be your best bet.

[usgicollector]

I give a thumbs up to the RXV.

[Jaybird18]

With a hilly neighborhood I’d definitely get the rxv. If the budget is there get the lithium cart

[mikeb33]

I just bought a 2017 RXV that started life on a Golf course. My dealer added rear seat, lights, wheels and tires and it's awesome. Highly recommended. Goes about 20 mph and is a hoot.
I asked about an extended roof and he took me to a cart that had one and he had me sit in the back. When I got up to get out I hit my head. He laughed and said everybody does that. I am 6'2" btw and if it's for kids it would probably work.

[BobBoyce]

If the lithium option is the drop-in "12V" lithium battery replacements, skip that option. Most cart dealers are not going to put forth the time and effort to properly design and build a fully integrated lithium battery installation that can support the immediate current demands of a modern golf cart. Those drop-in lithium battery replacements have problems with dropping out under high power demand, corrupting the modern controllers in TXTs and RXVs. For hill climbing ability vs upgrade cost, an RXV beats a TXT every time. Stick with E-Z-GO, the best bang for the buck in performance cost/tuning. Do not accept a cart with tires larger than 20.5" tires. It'll cost more to replace the controller with one that can survive the current demand long term. A stock 235 Amp Curtis RXV controller can be reprogrammed to deliver 28% more torque and speeds of up to 27 MPH with stock tires and 32 MPH with 20.5" tires. You'll want one newer than 2012.5, and older than 2019 to be sure it has the best stock controller for your application.

[tsheehan7]

I appreciate all the responses. Bob, thank you for the advice about avoiding lithium unless it's done right. I'll ask him if he does it right, and it he doesn't I'll save $900.

So the 2013 would be $4600 with brand new traditional batteries, versus $5300 with used batteries with 400 hours for the 2017. Is there a reason to pay that much more for the 2017 model or am I pretty good as long as I'm post 2012.5?

I also trust the dealer as he's a close friend of my brother in law's, so I'll ask him the same questions.